Buying a Propane Grill
 

After years of charcoal grilling, I'm considering my first propane grill. I'll be bargain hunting, I'd like to spend less then $250. What do I need to know about the world of propane grills? What are some must-have features?

Spending less than $250 will guarantee you are buying a disposable crappy grill that will last maybe 2-3 years before rusting out and falling apart like a Char Broil. You will be happy for the first 5-6 times you grill and then likely the excitement will decline.

I would look at grills that are $400+. Broil Kings are not as good as a Weber but much better than a Char Broil.

Yup, which is why I moved to charcoal.

My latest

Weber spirit 320
http://www.weber.com/grills/series/spirit/spirit-e-320

3 burner, good metal, stainless steel grills, grills nice, tank gauge, side burner, 4 wheels, temp gauge.
Nothing will bend

There are cheaper grills at Lowes, the metal is cheap. BIL bought one, the side metal bent pulling it out of the truck.

where did you buy yours?

Home Depot. Free assembly.

This is ChiefsPlanet, we don't do propane. If you want to talk propane, go to OrangeMane.

Minimum of three burners so that you can correctly indirect grill. Save up to buy a Weber. Mine is 14 years old and other than replacing the grates once, I've done nothing to it.

The Spirits get high praise all over the place.

How often do you grill?

At least once a week, even during the winter. A few times a week during summer.

and another recommendation on the Spirit. Love mine.

Oh, and mine has a side burner, but I've only ever used it two or three times. I could have done without it, obviously.

yeah, my old grill had one, never used it. Though I do now sometimes make mushrooms for mushroom/swiss burgers on the grill in a frying pan.

Weber makes a charcoal grill that is propane started called the Performer. I bought one last summer. It's essentially a regular Weber 22" kettle mounted into a cooking surface and rack with a propane burner to start your charcoal. Best of both worlds if you ask me. Add your charcoal, turn on the propane, turn off the propane after about 2minutes, and then spread the coals out once they are white hot, just like regular charcoal cooking.

Here's a pic of it. More prep space than most regular propane grills, a nice place to keep coals or beer on ice (pull out bin), and hell, it's a weber, so you will have it for 20 years.

good stuff, keep em comin' fellas

The Weber Performer is where it's at!

It's impressive that it has held up that well. I switched to a Big Green Egg because I was tired of needing to replace my gas grill every 3 years. I cook 3-4 times a week during the summer and at least once a week during the winter.

The charcoal weber with the propane starter sounds nice. I use an electric element starter and usually don't have to wait too long. The wait time is usually how long my prep time is so the wait is negligible.

Don't get me wrong; it certainly doesn't look like it used to. But it's mechanically completely sound. I do keep it covered when not grilling with Weber's best cover. But yes, surviving 14 Colorado winters and summers is pretty damn impressive.

I grabbed this bad boy in the spring... Havent looked back...

http://www.traegergrills.com/shop/de...4#.VcyyiU3bIdU

Its amazing.

Green Eggs are legit....

Weber Q is where it is at. I've had mine for years now, due to the portability and ease of putting it away for winter. Thing is tough as nails and uses very little gas.

This, wtf is wrong with you people?

There's no appreciable difference between grilling with propane and grilling with charcoal.
































:bolt:

There is, IMO. However, the convenience of gas outweighs the flavor in many cases.

This has not been my experience. I own a cheap char broil. I grill all my food on it. Grill on Sunday to cover the entire week. Sometimes I grill 3 or times per week in the summer.

I clean it, keep it covered. Don't allow the elements to cause it to deteriorate. And 5 years later, it burns like a champ. No replacement parts at all.

If people keep them clean and dry, there is no reason even cheap grills can't last a decade.

As always YMMV.

This is even further up the cost ladder, but I bought a Weber Genesis about 7 years ago, and if I actually spent the time to wash it really well, you'd barely even know it wasn't brand new. It cost me $600 (higher now I think), but I got tired of grills cooking like shit and falling apart after a few years. If you can afford it, it's worth the investment to get a good grill.

I have a Green Egg as my primary, but keep this around as a gasser if I'm in a hurry. I modded the heat shields a bit as they were a little wide, imo, but she's a trooper for what I need. She runs on a natural gas line as well (I can list my gun arsenal and death metal collection too if you'd like) so she'll crank some heat. I didn't see a point in springing for a Weber when I do most of my cooking on the Egg and just wanted something for a quick weeknight grill that wouldn't swallow my deck.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/KitchenAi...891B/205412604

Here you go: Right at $250. You will love this grill.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-54060001...s=weber+q+2200

What do I win?

I made the switch back to charcoal a few years ago because I was tired of poorly made gas grills. I've been researching weber gad grills lately and have read a lot of comments suggestions they aren't as well made as they once we're and the new burners aren't very good.

Be sure to do your homework before you drop the coin on a weber gas based on testimonials from older generation grills.

I will agree with the comment that cheaper gas grills are disposable pieces of shit.

I went to 3 big box stores today and 75% of the stock was either char broil or Webber. I will have a very hard time dropping $400+ on a grill on which I'll cook Burgers, dogs and brats once or twice a month and perhaps porkchops once or twice a year. I wish there was an "in between" brand.

I'm guessing a quality smoker is going to be at least $400?

learn how to do a beer can chicken or slabs of ribs.

Anything can be cooked on a grill.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rt4nTg0nD_M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I need a legit electric, I'm moving to an apartment soon.

Here is mine. I kind of wish I had just gotten the 75 but the storage underneath and side shelves are nice.

Here is mine. I kind of wish I had just gotten the 75 but the storage underneath and side shelves are nice.

http://www.traegergrills.com/shop/detail/BBQ400.04

If you are only cooking like that, get the Weber Q 200 gas grill. It's portable, light, has a stand you can buy, or just build one, and it works fine. It's my gas grill I take to tailgates.

I must be on his ignore list; I suggested the same.

Bought this one tonight.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_223565-505-6...ductId=3284716

Free delivery. Free installation, assembly and set up. Free haul away of old grill.

I bought a Weber Genesis this year and love it. I've used the side burner at least 3 times so far and consider it worth having.

For the large propane grills, you definitely get what you pay for. $250 will likely get you something that will rust out within a few years.

If you aren't using it much, and aren't feeding large crowds, I agree with the others that suggested the Weber Q 2200. That would get you something that's well-made, and it would provide the added benefit of portability for tailgating, camping, etc.

At $249 through Amazon, it fits right in your budget.

Nice piece of equipment.

I also bought a Genesis a couple of months ago and couldn't be happier. Pricey, but if it lasts 10+ years it's a better investment than the $250 grills I replace every couple of years.

My research clearly showed the Weber Genesis line was the best line of grills out there. Seems from the comments here, we seem to agree its the best bang for the buck in grills.

I can get lump charcoal a lot hotter than I can get propane on the grills I've used. That along with the sealed oven effect of the BGE is what makes charcoal far superior to me.

100% true statement

You let some teenager from Lowes assemble your new grill? Man card revoked!

I also got a electric smoker and pay someone else to detail my car.:p

Propane sucks.

Plus you're a Cardinals' fan. Do you gave any redeeming qualities or are you just a walking, talking ball of suck? :evil:

Just typical Chiefs Planet qualities. I have a 10 in pecker. Ran a 4.2 40 in high school. Date model quality women. Just average qualities on here.

welp...after deciding a quality gas burner is not in my budget right now, Imma stick with charcoal.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/KitchenAi...-204461341-_-N

If you're sticking with charcoal, excellent decision by the way, why not spend an extra $120.00 and get a great charcoal setup?
http://www.firecraft.com/product/web...FZGJaQodmfsKFA

What's the point of the hinged grate? To lower some of the food closer to the coals?

If you are using the Weber charcoal inserts for indirect grilling, the hinged grates allow you to add wood chips/charcoal to inserts without removing the grate.
http://justafewacres.com/uploads/3/2...384522.jpg?256

Neat. Thanks.

I just bought a Spirit 310. I don't need the side burner.

This makes my fourth outdoor cooking instrument with my electric smoker, my Pit Barrel Cooker, and my Weber Performance charcoal grill.

I really need the convenience during the week. I'd love to cook outside during the week more, but with my work/dialysis schedule, I just don't have that kind of time M-F. Plus, since I expanded the patio, I really want to fill it with grills.

I've owned Weber Genesis grills and use them year round. Get a good cover, don't leave it out in the rain, it'll last for a decade or more.

So the Weber Q200, which is a high quality gas grill, and runs less than you spent on this set up didn't make sense why?

Weber with a side burner is your best bet.

Before I bought a gas grill I did a lot of research of gas vs charcoal. The consensus was that gas is OK for most things but if you are grilling a great steak, charcoal is better. I bought a NAPOLEON grill. As an option you can remove the "flavor bar" and replace it with a cast iron tray that holds charcoal and you can use the gas to light it. The best of both worlds. May be over $250 by now.

I want a tap and die and some WD 40

The Weber Performance takes a little 1-liter propane tank to light coals. It's very convenient.

This! They are on sale now at Home Depot for $599 for the E-310 genesis

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weber-Gen...1001/202520220

Shit balls. I'm trying to cancel the order on the Spirit. One of these is available locally.

Bought mine 2 weeks ago. This grill is amazing - it heats up to 500 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Love the propane scale on it also. I just bought 18.5" X 15.375" GrillGrates for it today.

GrillGrates
https://www.grillgrate.com/

GrillGrates video review on a Weber Genesis E-310
https://youtu.be/vubqw2ySg0o

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